The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/172326
waterfront business in brief… Japan claims whaling is research "YOU DON'T KILL 935 whales in a year Founder no longer director After rumours that the company has been struggling, Fitzroy Yachts founder Peter White-Robinson remains chairman but is no longer listed as director. Documents on the Government's companies office website show Rodney Martin as the sole listed director of the company. Martin says that the company has received several potential new-build orders and is in good financial standing. New Giant kept out Eastland Port refused entry to South Korean owned log boat New Giant in early June, when assurances from the owners and insurers were not received to the Eastland Group's satisfaction. Eastland Port was aware that the creditors of the vessel had recently gone into receivership. Subsequently a writ was issued by the High Court in Gisborne placing the ship under arrest. Caught here… processed there Fish and squid that have been caught in New Zealand waters are being processed in China – meaning that some brands of frozen fish are making a round trip of over 18,000km before being sold in New Zealand as local product. Sealord, Sanford and Independent send a percentage of their catches to be processed thousands of kilometres away, with Independent's Mark Allison commenting that rising costs have made it prohibitive to process entirely in New Zealand. to conduct scientific research. You don't even need to kill one whale to conduct scientific research," Australia's agent to the court Bill Campbell told journalists at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, where Australia is bringing a case forward to put a stop to Japan's scientific research involving whaling. "Japan seeks to cloak its ongoing commercial whaling in the lab coat of science," says Campbell. Whale meat remains a sought after delicacy in Japan and although commercial whaling ended with the 1986 moratorium, Japan has continued harpooning minke and fin whales. The government claims it is scientific research permitted under a 1946 international convention regulating whaling. The Australian case, supported by New Zealand, covers Japan's whale hunt in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, but Japan also operates in the waters of the northwestern Pacific. The Japanese government holds that the research is necessary to provide data on whale populations in the interests of re-examining and ultimately lifting the international ban on commercial whale hunting. "This is something we are prepared to demonstrate: That our programme is in line with Article 8 of the convention and is not commercial whaling at all," said Noriyuki Shikata, spokesman for Japan's delegation at the court. The case will require months before a final decision is made, with Australia and New Zealand having presented their arguments in early July. BigFoot in Senegal COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN IN the West African nation of Senegal are using a 60hp BigFoot engine to power their giant fishing boats, which gross about 30 tonnes when fully loaded. The boats are 22–24 metres long, built on the beach from local redwood and carry the crew of about 40 people needed to pull aboard an 800 metre fishing net which weighs three tonnes wet – and that's before they trap any fish. "They carry up to 15 tonnes of fish, a tonne of pre-mixed fuel and 2.5 tonnes of ballast." Said Jean-Louis Rekinger, Mercury's general manager, Middle East and Africa. "They fish virtually every day of the year and stay out for eight or nine hours at a time." The BigFoot gearcase is the same size as a standard 115hp Mercury FourStroke outboard, so the engine is capable of turning a larger-diameter propeller and providing additional power. The longer design puts the propeller deep into cleaner, less-aerated water and its low 2.33:1 gear ratio improves thrust and efficiency. Baldur replacement Chatham Islands Shipping vessel Baldur is to be replaced by the 67-metre Southern Tiare. Chief executive officer Dennis Nisbett reported that the increased size would mean the company had the capacity to service the whole of the islands' trade and that the longer ship was more economical. Southern Tiare will be making monthly visits to New Zealand's Timaru port and the Baldur will remain permanently in Timaru. As well as Chatham Islands Shipping company, the Chathams are also serviced by Timaru-based South East shipping. 46 Professional Skipper September/October 2013 www.skipper.co.nz